BOC seizes P228-M worth of smuggled imported sugar
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) issued two Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against an estimated P228 million worth of imported cane refined sugar from Thailand, which lacked the requisite Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) import clearance.
This came after the Customs Intelligence and investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) denied the request to amend the manifest changing the consignee’s name.
It also recommended that a WSD be issued against the shipment “due to lack of the requisite Clearance for Release of Imported Sugar being issued by the SRA in violation of Sections 117 and 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).”
Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz inspected the 76 containers that arrived on September 24, 2022 at the MICP.
“There is a lot of hocus pocus that these smugglers try to get away with their crimes. We aren’t just here looking for every hoarder and smuggler. We’re here to stop any action that would jeopardize our market prices, the local production, and the impact of these on our workers and consumers,” Ruiz stated.
Intelligence reports showed the shipments contained “misdeclared and undeclared” items. This led to the request for the issuance of an Alert Order on October 4, 2022.
“There were already initial information about the shipment’s status. What’s good is all of us here acted expeditiously upon receiving this information from high authorities,” CIIS Director and concurrent Intelligence Group (IG) officer-in-charge Jeoffrey Tacio.
CIIS-MICP chief Alvin Enciso reported that there was an attempt by the consignee to change its name on October 10, 2022 after a request for issuance of an alert order was received at the District Collector’s Office on October 4.
“I’m proud of what our team has done in this case. They didn’t let this attempt to change consignees go through and were fast on their feet in making sure we stop another shipment from entering our local markets,” Ruiz said.
The commissioner had earlier responded to the call of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for the BOC to inspect warehouses across the country believed to be storing and hoarding sugar in an attempt to manipulate market prices.
He lauded this latest operation from the bureau, particularly the blocking of the attempt to circumvent the law and change the consignment.
